Jazz Forum Fall 2014

Wednesdays at 1!
1:00 p.m.
GMC 1029
Doug Leibinger, program director

Jazz Forum at SSU is a unique performance/master class designed to expose jazz majors and guests to a wide variety of jazz styles. Guest musicians perform their music with commentary in a relaxed atmosphere. Info: leibinge@sonoma.edu

Admission is free. Limited seating available on a first-come, first serve basis

Wednesday, August 27
Miles Ahead Group: A Tribute to the music of Miles Davis

The Miles Ahead Group is a San Francisco Bay area psychedelic jazz band focusing on Miles' early 70's explorations ..... Bitches Brew, In A Silent Way, and material from his Live-Evil and On The Corner albums. This seasoned group of all-star musicians is led by Grammy-nominated keyboardist Mike Kapitan, and features Marc Carmi Smith, drums; Ben Isaacs, percussion; Anna Pfiefer, electric and acoustic bass; Cayce Carnahan, trumpet & effects; Michael Bello, tenor sax, bass clarinet and effects; and Tom Finch, electric guitar. Join us for this great kickoff to our jazz forum season!

Wednesday, September 10
Harvey Wainapel & Vitor Gonçalves

Saxophonist/clarinetist and former SSU faculty Harvey Wainapel (pronounced “wine-apple”) has performed with the likes of McCoy Tyner, Joe Lovano, Ray Charles, Dave Brubeck and Joe Henderson. His heavy involvement with the music of Brazil has led to performances with top-level musicians such as Airto Moreira, Flora Purim, Dori Caymmi, Guinga, Paulo Bellinati and Jovino Santos Neto. Vitor Gonçalves (piano, accordion and alto saxophone) has long been an in-demand performer on the Brazilian music scene, in his native city of Rio de Janeiro as well as throughout Brazil. He has worked with such luminaries as Hermeto Pascoal, Elza Soares and Emílio Santiago. This will be an enlightening afternoon of Brazilian music!

Wednesday, October 15
The Jeff Denson Trio featuring Lee Konitz

Please note the location of the Jazz Forum with The Jeff Denson Trio featuring Lee Konitz will be in Weill Hall.

Lee Konitz is a jazz legend and one of the most revered improvisers in music. His alto sax sound and concept was a breath of fresh air in the times of the Charlie Parker imitators. His performances with Lennie Tristano, Claude Thornhill and the Miles Davis Birth of the Cool sessions in the late 40's hugely influenced a new school of "cool" playing worldwide. He is joined by Jeff Denson on bass, Joshua White on piano and Jon Arkin on drums. This trio is the perfect foil for Konitz's masterful improvisations. This jazz forum will serve as a precursor to their 7:30 p.m. concert in Weill Hall. This is a rare event not to be missed.

Info: 707-664-2324

Wednesday, October 29
Dave Liebman

David Liebman is considered a renaissance man in contemporary music with a career stretching over forty years. He has played with many of the masters including Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, McCoy Tyner and others; authored books and instructional DVDs which are acknowledged as classics in the jazz field; recorded as a leader in styles ranging from classical to rock to free jazz; awarded NEA Jazz Masters; Jazz Educators Network (JEN) Legends of Jazz; multiple Grammy nominee and Downbeat/Jazz Times Critics Poll winner (soprano sax); French Order of Arts and Letters; Honorary Doctorate from the Sibelius Academy (Helsinki, Finland); Founder (1989) and Artistic Director of the International Association of Schools of Jazz (IASJ); performed on over 500 recordings with over nearly 200 as a leader/co-leader featuring several hundred original compositions.

Wednesday, November 5
Dmitri Matheny

Celebrated for his warm tone, soaring lyricism and masterful technique, Dmitri Matheny has been lauded as “the first breakthrough flugelhornist since Chuck Mangione" (San Jose Mercury News). After private studies with Carmine Caruso in New York City, Matheny became the protégé of the legendary Art Farmer, a formative relationship that lasted over a decade. Farmer, “the bebop master who defined the sound of the flugelhorn in modern jazz” [All Music Guide], was Matheny’s public champion and private mentor. For his first jazz forum at SSU, Matheny will present a workshop called Melodic Mastery, based on Farmer's music.

Wednesday, March 25John Fedchock

John Fedchock is simply one of the most amazing trombonists
alive today. He served as lead trombonist, musical director and arranger for
Woody Herman’s “Thundering Herd” in the 80’s. Today he leads his own critically
acclaimed “New York Big Band” and “NY Sextet,” and is a regular on the Downbeat
readers’ and critics’ polls.

Wednesdays remainingFaculty and Students of the Jazz Program

Getting There

GMC 1029 is in Music Education Hall adjacent to the Green Music Center. Enter campus from Rohnert Park Expressway, proceed past the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Hall, turn right into Parking Lot L, and go up the stairs to the double glass doors.

Parking

Parking passes are $5 daily and may be obtained from the self-dispenser at each parking lot entrance, or from the Information kiosks at campus entrances.
For directions see: